GENERAL FARM PROGRAM 1061 



culty, should understand the problem that is facing this committee. 

 TV'e have not only mohair and tung oil, but the able gentleman from 

 Utah, the chahman of another subcommittee, recently had before him 

 the question of the honey production in this country, had hearings on 

 it, not only honey production, but the bee family, and certainly it 

 must be agreed that there is nothing as important to agriculture than 

 an adequate and abundant supply of bees, because we would not have 

 much agriculture unless we had bees to do the pollination. 



That is about all. But I did what to say that, and I will welcome 

 any comment the gentlemen from Mississippi want to make. 



Mr. CoLMER. Mr. Chairman, I realize, and I asm sure my friends 

 of the tung industry who are here realize, the extreme difficulties 

 that this committee has, but it is my understanding that this com- 

 mittee is now in process of considering this whole proposition of 

 support prices. 



Mr. Pace, That is right. 



Mr. CoLMER. Therefore, we thought that we were very timely 

 in coming here and presenting our cause to you at this time. 



Mr. Pace. Most timely. 



Mr. CoLMER. I am in accord so far as I know now I would say 

 with everything that the learned chairman has said, being a lawyer 

 I always like to hedge a little bit, I am broadh^ in accord with every- 

 thing the gentleman said. 



Mr. Pace. I think so, too. 



Mr. Colmer. I want to say this, too. Since the gentleman paid 

 me a compliment, and this is not a tit for tat, that I know of no one 

 in the Congress of the United States who has exhibited more interest 

 in the problems of agriculture than the gentleman from Georgia who 

 is presiding over this committee. 



We have come here with our problem to you, as I said in the begm- 

 ning. There is no pride of authorship about this thing on the part of 

 Mr. Gathings or myself, but we want some protection. I am not asking 

 this committee to reach down into the basket and pick out one thing, 

 but I want to say this to my learned friend, there may come a time in 

 the history of this country not too far distant when somebody dowTi 

 here in the Pentagon will express the hope or wish that somebody had 

 reached dowTi in the basket. 



Mr. Pace. That may be of sufficient importance to give tung 

 oil special treatment. 



Mr. Colmer. Yes, sir. That is the point I am making, exactly. 



I express again on behalf of this young industry here, which is 

 right on the threshold of bankruptcy, our deep and heartfelt 

 appreciation of the courtesy extended us by you Mr. Chairman and 

 the members of this committee. 



Mr. Granger. Will the gentleman yield? 



Mr. Colmer. Yes; to my learned friend from Utah, always. 



Air. Granger. Do you contend that the Secretary of Agriculture 

 has authority now to support the price of tung oil? 



Mr. Colmer. I do. 



Mr. Granger. Do you agree with that? 



Mr. Pace. Yes. I do not think there is any question about that. 



Mr. Colmer. In fact, he did do it. Secretary Anderson did do it. 



Mr. Granger. If that is true, I think that is true of honey, and 

 I am certainly going to recommend that he reach down in the bag 

 and support the price of honey. 



